Atmospheric. That is the initial word which springs to mind when witnessing this collective's magnetic set. At the outset of their appearance, the intensity of the group's subtle mastery of instrument interplay is almost too much to bear, until the grandiose climax to this torturous build up at long last unleashes onto the unsuspecting crowd an enormous and consuming wall of sound. It's pretty breathtaking, and this is only the opening song. The chemistry between each musician exercises a dichotomy that gives the illusion that all the instruments are playing in unison, all while each contributing their own unique solo improvisations. It is clear that this is a band which has honed its chords into a sound which is both classical and postmodern (take the feel of Evanescence-minus Amy Lee's vocals-and pair it with any of Bach or Beethoven's compositions), and offered it up to the masses with a harmonic delivery which is deliriously all-encompassing. It's hard not to walk away from this performance without being in a mesmerized trance.
-Justin Thomas

Artist Bio

Toronto band Do Make Say Think began as the psychedelic-influenced instrumental improvisations of bassist/trumpeter Charles Spearin, guitarist Justin Small, and drummer James Payment. The band grew to include keyboardist Jason MacKenzie and multi-instrumentalist Ohad Benchetrit, with the final addition of drummer Dave Mitchell in 1998. Do Make Say Think released their self-titled debut on Constellation Records in late 1998, followed by the early 2000 release Goodbye Enemy Airship the Landlord Is Dead. After promotions for that album subsided, they again buried themselves in the studio until March of 2002, when they unleashed & Yet & Yet on Constellation Records. The band's fourth album, Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn came out a year and a half later.